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Central Minnesota and the state as a whole saw the impact from coronavirus tick up significantly Friday, as the state confirmed its single highest day of both new infections and fatalities. Plus, Central Minnesota saw its caseload rise by six overnight.

Another 159 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 17 more died from the disease in Minnesota, according to Minnesota Department of Health numbers released Friday. Three new cases each were confirmed in Stearns and Benton counties.

The number of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus reached a total of 2,071 on Friday morning and 111 people have died, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

A new point of concern also emerged for the state as a pork processing plant in Worthington is being monitored for its contribution to case numbers in Nobles County.

The JBS USA pork processing plant in Worthington is across the South Dakota border from the largest single source of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Interviews conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health connected seven cases of the novel coronavirus with the JBS USA pork processing plant in Worthington, Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a livestreamed press conference Friday.

"We expect that number to increase as the interviews continue," she said.

Worthington is about an hour away from Sioux Falls, where the Smithfield pork processing plant has been connected to more than 600 cases of COVID-19. That plant closed indefinitely Sunday.

There are at least 30 confirmed cases in Worthington, Malcolm said, and the confirmed case count increased significantly in the past day. Nobles County had 19 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Minnesota Department of Health's Director of Infectious Disease Kris Ehresmann said.

Four MDH staff members are on-site in Worthington and are working with plant management to make recommendations on how best to operate. The plant is screening workers as they arrive.

"The good news on this is plant management has been monitoring this," Gov. Tim Walz said during the livestream, citing personal protective equipment provided to workers. Walz said there is a lot of movement across the border between South Dakota and Minnesota, and members of some families work at both plants.

Ehresmann said local public health workers, emergency management team members and health care providers in the area are "exceptionally" well prepared.

Walz referred to the JBS USA plant as an economic anchor in the community, and said the state's goal is to help the plant continue to operate with a quick public health response, avoiding a scenario where the outcome is widespread contamination and closure of the plant.

Approximately 2,000 people work at JBS USA in Worthington, Walz said.

Malcolm said she is not aware of any Minnesota plants doing proactive testing for COVID-19, though more and more are conducting health screenings.

A statewide look

Nine of the 17 deaths reported Friday were residents of Hennepin County. Two deaths were Winona County residents, and the remaining deaths include one each from Dakota, St. Louis, Nicollet, Anoka and Rice counties.

Aitkin County reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 Friday. Of the 87 counties in Minnesota, 73 have confirmed cases.

Friday's updated numbers showed 233 people currently hospitalized due to COVID-19, with just under half of those — 106 — in intensive care.

Of the confirmed cases, approximately 24% were likely exposed to the novel coronavirus in a congregate living setting, data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows.

While health care professionals expressed gratitude for Minnesotans staying at home, they also reminded them of a time when staying at home is not in their best interest: when they need emergent medical care.

Dr. John Hick, manager for the State Health Care Coordination Center and Deputy Chief Medical Director for Hennepin County EMS, said some Minnesotans may be staying at home too much: for instance, when they are concerned they are having a stroke or are suffering from chest pain.

"Please understand that the emergency care system is there for you all the time," he said.

Sarah Kocher is the business reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-255-8799 or skocher@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahAKocher.